Laughter Is Medicine

Meet Your Host, Wil Shriner

The Chronic Comics Comedy Tour is a group of professional comedians who share their personal stories, setbacks, triumphs and dose of encouragement for living with chronic health conditions.

As Chief Comedy Officer, Wil leads the development and delivery of HealthPure’s multi-media engagement to live and online audiences with his breakthrough Chronic Comics comedy tour, based on the premise that laughter is the best medicine. An accomplished comedian, writer, producer and director, Wil’s comedic genius can be found in episodes of sitcoms Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, Becker, and Gilmore Girls. He has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The David Letterman Show, hosted three-time Emmy nominated The Wil Shriner Show, and wrote, produced and directed Hoot, judged one of the top five environmental films by the Smithsonian. Wil is a highly sought talent for master of ceremonies, large scale corporate events and charity auctions. Wil earned a BA in film and television from UCLA.

Not Just Nonsense

Laugh Yourself into a Healthier Person: A Cross Cultural Analysis of the Effects of Varying Levels of Laughter on Health

US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health

This cross-cultural study explored along with various personality factors the relationship between laughter and disease prevalence. Previous studies have only determined the effect of laughter on various health dimensions, whereas, this study quantified the level of laughter that was beneficial or detrimental to health.

Laughter Prescription

Canadian Family Physician

It has been more than 30 years since Norman Cousins published an article in the New England Journal of Medicine1 extolling the potential medicinal benefits of laughter and humour. Yet the study of laughter still occupies a rather modest place in scientific inquiry.

It was not until 1995 that laughter as an exercise, or laughter yoga, emerged systematically through laughter clubs.

National media covers LLUH laughter studies

Loma Linda University Health

Experiencing joyful laughter reduces stress hormones, lowers blood pressure, and elevates a person’s mood. Loma Linda University Health (LLUH) is a strong advocate for “Living It,” and LLUH research continues to add to the known health benefits of mirthful laughter.

Stress relief from laughter? It's no joke

Mayo Clinic

When it comes to relieving stress, more giggles and guffaws are just what the doctor ordered. Whether you're guffawing at a sitcom on TV or quietly giggling at a newspaper cartoon, laughing does you good. Laughter is a great form of stress relief, and that's no joke.